GB2266512A - Stackable containers - Google Patents

Abstract

A container erected from a cardboard blank has an upstand (25) at each corner and a corresponding recess (22) at each lower corner to receive the upstand of a sub-adjacent container. End flanges (17) are hinged to flaps (19) bearing tongues (21) for engagement in slots adjacent a bottom wall (10) of the container. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Container and blank for producing the container Description of Invention The present invention relates to a container formed from folded sheet material.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a container formed from folded sheet material and comprising a bottom wall, opposite side walls, opposite end walls and a respective end flange extending along a margin of each end wall which is remote from the bottom wall, the end flanges overlying respective parts of the bottom wall but being spaced therefrom and the container being characterised by upstands, one at each corner of the container, wherein each upstand projects beyond the adjacent end flange in a direction away from the bottom wall and includes respective portions which extend along an adjacent side and an adjacent end of the container.

By describing certain walls as side walls and other walls as end walls, we do not limit the scope of the present invention to containers which are rectangular, as viewed in plan. These descriptions of the walls are used merely for convenience in distinguishing one pair of walls from a further pair of walls.

The bottom wall may be square but will typically have a length greater than its width.

At the outside of the preferred container, there is at each corner adjacent to the bottom wall a respective recess suitable for receiving a corresponding upstand of a subadjacent container when a plurality of the containers are stacked one above the other.

Each upstand preferably has a curved edge which extends from the adjacent end flange over an apex of the upstand and back to the adjacent end flange. In this case, the recess preferably has a correspondingly curved margin.

The container may further comprise a respective lateral flange along a margin of each side wall which is remote from the bottom wall and a respective panel at each end of each side wall, each panel lying inside an end wall and substantially abutting an edge of a corresponding lateral flange. With this arrangement, abutment of edges of the lateral flanges with the panels will substantially prevent twisting of the top of the container relative to the bottom wall. It will be understood that, when the container is not subjected to any stress, there may be small clearances between the lateral flanges and the panels but any twisting movement of the top of the container with respect to the bottom wall will bring one or more of the panels into engagement with an edge of a corresponding lateral flange and this engagement will impede further twisting.Alternatively, the edges of the lateral flanges may abut the end walls of the container to inhibit twisting of the top of the container relative to the bottom wall.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a flat blank suitable for erection into a container according to the first aspect of the invention.

An example of a container embodying the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIGURE 1 shows a perspective view of a container with one flap displaced from the position which the flap occupies when the container is in use, FIGURE 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, representing a stage in erection of the container, an end wall being displaced from the position which that wall occupies when the container is in use, and FIGURE 3 shows a blank from which the container is erected.

The container comprises a substantially rectangular, flat bottom wall 10, a pair of opposite side walls 11 and 12 and a pair of opposite end walls 13 and 14. The end wall 13 meets the bottom wall at a fold 15 and the side wall 11 meets the bottom wall at a fold 16. In the erected container, the walls 11 to 14 are substantially flat and perpendicular to the bottom wall 10.

An end flange 17 extends along that margin of the end wall 13 which is remote from the bottom wall 10. The end wall meets the flange 17 at a fold 18. On each end of the flange 17, there is respective flap. One of these is shown at 19 in Figure 1. The flap 19 meets the end flange 17 at a fold 20.

The flap 19 lies at the outside of the side wall 11 in face-to-face relation therewith. The flap may be in contact with the side wall 11 over substantially the entire area of the flap. At its margin remote from the end flange 17, the flap has an integral tongue 21 which extends to the inside of the container through a slot cut in the side wall 11 immediately adjacent to the bottom wall 10.

The tongue 21 lies in face-to-face engagement with the bottom wall at the inside of the container.

The slot which is occupied by the tongue 21 is spaced from the adjacent corner of the container and the tongue 21 is spaced from the corner of the container. At this corner of the container and spaced apart from the slot, there is a recess 22 resulting from a cut-out in the flap 19.

The flap 19 has an extension 23 which meets the flap at a fold 24. The fold 24 is at a corner of the container and the extension 23 lies inside the end wall 13. Both the extension 23 and the end wall 13 have respective cut-outs adjacent to the bottom wall 10 which form continuations of the recess 22 at the end of the container.

An upstand 25 which is integral with the flap 19 and the extension 23 extends upwards beyond the end flange 17. The upstand includes respective portions 26, 27 which extend along the side and the end of the container. The portion 27 is a part of the extension 23 and the portion 26 is an integral extension of the flap 19. An external surface of the portion 26 is co-planar with an external surface of the flap.

The upstand 25 has a single, curved edge which extends from the end flange 17 where that flange meets the end wall 13, upwards and over an apex of the upstand which is at the corner of the container and then down to the end flange once more at a position where that end flange meets the flap 19. The portion 26 and the portion 27 may each be one quarter of a circle. The shape and size of the recess 22 compliments the shape and size of the upstand 25.

When a pair of containers as illustrated in Figure 1 are stacked one above the other, the upstand of the lower container fits in the recess of the upper container.

The curved free edge of the upstand 25 reduces the risk of the upstand being damaged, if it is inadvertently subjected to impact from above.

Along that margin of the side wall 11 which is remote from the bottom wall 10, there extends a lateral flange 28. An end portion of the lateral flange underlies a corresponding portion of the end flange 17. At each end of the side wall 11, there is a respective panel 29, 30, which meets the side wall at a respective fold 31, 32. The panel 30 lies inside the end wall 13 and overlaps an edge of the lateral flange 28. The panel 30 may abut this edge of the lateral flange. Alternatively, there may be small clearance between the panel 30 and the lateral flange 28, when the container is unstressed. It will be understood that the end flange 17 prevents the lateral flange 28 from rising above the panel 30. The extension 23 is interposed between the panel 30 and the end wall 13 and prevents the panel 30 moving away from the edge of the lateral flange 28.

A lateral flange 33, which corresponds to the lateral flange 28, extends along a margin of the side wall 12. An end flange 34 extends along a margin of the end wall 14. The end flange 34 corresponds to the end flange 17 and has at its ends flaps corresponding to the flap 19, each with a tongue and an extension corresponding to the tongue 21 and extension 23. A further flap corresponding to the flap 19 is provided at the other end of the end flange 17, this further flap also having a tongue and an extension corresponding to the tongue 21 and the extension 23. Thus, there is an upstand at each corner of the container.

In Figure 1, the tongue 35 on the flap at one end of the end flange 34 is shown partly withdrawn from its slot in the side wall 11.

The end flanges 17 and 34 overlie opposite end portions of the bottom wall 10, being spaced upwardly therefrom by the end walls. An identical, super adjacent container can be placed on the end flanges and supported thereby. It will be noted that each end flange is partly supported by the lateral flanges of the container. The upstands provide secure location of the super adjacent container with respect to the lower container. The upstands of the lower container lie in face-to-face engagement with surfaces of the super adjacent container corresponding to surfaces of the side walls 11 and 12 and the panels 29 and 30.

The container can be erected from the blank shown in Figure 3, which is formed of substantially flat sheet material, preferably board comprising a corrugated layer between a pair of substantially flat layers. The blank has cuts represented by full lines and fold lines represented by broken lines in Figure 3.

These fold lines are pre-defined by a die which crushes or slits the board. The use of staples or other fasteners and use of adhesives during the erection process is not necessary to achieve a strong and stable container. Erection can be carried out easily by hand.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims (10)

1. A container formed from folded sheet material and comprising a bottom wall, opposite side walls, opposite end walls and a respective end flange extending along a margin of each end wall which is remote from the bottom wall, the end flanges overlying respective parts of the bottom wall, characterised by upstands, one at each corner of the container, wherein each upstand projects beyond the adjacent end flange in a direction away from the bottom wall and includes respective portions which extend along an adjacent side and an adjacent end of the container.

2. A container according to Claim 1 wherein there is at each corner of the container adjacent to the bottom wall a respective recess suitable for receiving the corresponding upstand of a sub-adjacent container when a plurality of the containers are stacked.

3. A container according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein each upstand has a curved edge extending from the adjacent end flange over an apex of the upstand and back to the end flange.

4. A container according to any preceding claim further comprising a respective lateral flange along a margin of each side wall remote from the bottom wall and a respective panel at each end of each side wall, each panel lying inside an end wall and substantially abutting an edge of a corresponding lateral flange.

5. A container according to any preceding claim further comprising a respective flap at each end of each of the end flanges, wherein each flap overlies a part of the adjacent side wall and has a tongue which protrudes into the inside of the container through a slot in or immediately adjacent to the side wall

6. A container according to Claim 5 wherein the tongue is spaced from each of the end walls.

7. A container according to Claim 5, as appendant to Claim 2, wherein the tongue is spaced from the end wall by said recess.

8. A flat blank suitable for erection into a container as defined in any preceding claim.

9. A container substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

10. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawings.